Wind of change
by Zachana
Summary: Not HPB & GH compliant. Five years have gone by since the Dark Lord was defeated, and peace once again reigns over Hogwarts. A new school year begins, and Severus thinks it’ll be another normal year... Until a new teacher arrives. UPDATED!
1. Chapter 1

_**" Not HPB & GH complient. Five years have gone by since the Dark Lord was defeated, and peace once again reigns over the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry. A new school year begins, and Severus thinks it'll be another normal year... Until a new teacher arrives."**_

_**Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story.  
**_

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_**Chapter 1**_

The Potions master scowled as he walked briskly towards the Great Hall. Another year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Another year of suffering being surrounded by wild, overly cheerful dunderheads. He grimaced. In all his years teaching as a Potions master, very few students had ever shown real interest in his domain, let alone talent. Few managed, and then... There were those like Neville Longbottom ; walking disasters.

He knew better than to get his hopes up. This year would be no better. The last promising student he had taught was, he regretted having to admit it, Hermione Granger. It had already been five years since the golden trio had graduated and moved on with their lives. Severus couldn't say he missed Potter and Weasley, but Miss Granger... She was the one of the brightest witches he ever had in his classroom. Her thirst for knowledge was something that, deep inside, he admired.

But now she was gone, replaced by dozens of hopeless cases blowing up his cauldrons, year after year. He sighed. That wasn't the only thing bothering him. Once again, the Headmaster had found a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. One would've guessed that with the Dark Lord gone, Hogwarts would be able to keep his DADA teachers for longer than a year, but for an unknown reason, they kept leaving. Some had even left in the middle of the year, if not sooner. Sometimes he wondered just how Dumbledore kept finding new teachers seemingly out of nowhere. _Why doesn't he let ME teach that class?_, he wondered for the hundredth time in less than a day.

Severus stopped when he came to the doors leading to the Great Hall. _Well. Scowling at the door isn't going to make them disappear. Might as well get this over with_, he thought. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open...

Only to have his ears assaulted by all the noise of hundreds of students chatting cheerfully to each other, some screaming over other people's heads to be heard, or to talk to a friend sitting at another table. Insults were shouted over one table to the next. Paper notes and planes flying across the hall, some students attempting to bring them down with all sorts of objects ranging from quills to... Severus blinked. Was that a SHOE?

He quickly made his way towards the staff table, avoiding a few students running between tables. His scowl deepened. Back in the days, the students stayed at their respective tables, at least. And they certainly did NOT throw objects around.

Arriving safely at the table, he sat down in his chair, vaguely registering the empty chair next to him. So the new teacher was late already? _What a nice way to begin the school year_, he thought sarcastically.

"Why, Severus! How kind of you to join us on this glorious evening!"

The Potions master groaned inwardly before turning his head to face the Headmaster. He forced himself to stop scowling and nodded a greeting, hoping it would be enough to be left alone. But it wasn't.

"Quite cheerful, aren't they?", Albus asked, beaming brightly as he looked over at the students crowding the Great Hall. "Another year, and new students just yearning to learn!"

"Quite.", Severus mumbled, rubbing his aching temples with his fingers. _Another year, and another half a dozen cauldrons blown up, and my ingredients wasted away by idiotic students who can't even read right, more precisely_, he thought.

He lost his train of thoughts as the doors opened, revealing a stern looking professor McGonagall herding a group of first years in. He suppressed a grimace as he saw most of them gaping at the enchanted ceiling. Dunderheads, the lot of them. He watched as they were left standing while Minerva walked to the Sorting Hat and explained the procedure. One by one they went and were sorted. In the end, seven more students joined the House of Slytherin. And not one of them looked smarter than a troll. _At least they don't have the smell that goes with it_, he thought absently.

Dumbledore stood up once the new students were settled in at their respective tables. "Your attention, please! Thank you." He grinned, his eyes twinkling as he looked down a the students. "Welcome, and welcome back, to Hogwarts! Another year has begun, and I am pleased to see so many familiar faces, and it is as wonderful to see new ones!"

The students broke into applause, making Severus groan. Albus went on with his speech as the students became quiet once more. "I have a few announces and a few rules I would like to go over before we eat. So the first years know, and to remind a few of you, magic is not allowed in the corridors between classes. Secondly, the Forbidden forest is, as it's name implies, forbidden to all students. Also, only third year students and up are allowed outside the grounds and for organized trips, with signed permissions of course."

Nodding his head briefly, he went on. "On another note, as some of the older students may remember, our last Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Kristoph, has left us at the end of last year. And so, once again, we will have a new teacher." He waited a few moments for the whispers to die out. Even if the older students were used to that announcement, they couldn't help but wonder year after year who would teach them.

To Severus' surprise, most of the teachers seemed as eager to know as the students. Hadn't Albus told them who would be their newest colleague? Come to think of it, he had no idea either. No one had mentioned anything to him. He frowned. Was this another one of Albus' surprises? Severus sneered down at his still empty plate. _Why all the fuss, really? No professors had stayed for more than a year so far. Why would this one be any different?_

"Your new teacher come back to us after having graduated from this school a few years ago, and is more than eager to teach a new generation of witches and wizards. Kindly meet your new teacher!"

Severus looked up, unable to resist his curiosity and nearly choked as he took in the young witch who walked in the room. Not in his wildest dreams would he have thought to see her again, let alone in this school. His mind raced as he attempted to understand what was going on. Dumbledore's voice suddenly confirmed his worst fears, and hopes.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts, Professor Granger!"

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_**Thanks for reading. **__** Hope you liked. There's more to come!** _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story.**_

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_**Chapter 2**_

"Hermione GRANGER !?"

Severus snarled the words as he paced Dumbledore's office, the mechanical whirs and clicks of the silver instruments around the room drowned out by the sound of his steps on the marble floor.

"Granger!?" He repeated again out of disbelief. Of all the witches and wizards around the world, he had to go and pick her to teach the Defense against the Dark arts class, didn't he?

"Yes, Severus. Hermione Granger. The one and only." Albus said calmly, looking at the Potions Master over his half-moon spectacles. He sat behind his massive claw-footed desk, his chin resting on the back of his hands. Behind him, Fawkes rested on his perch, the phoenix staring at Severus with unblinking black eyes.

"But, why!?"

"Why what, Severus? Why choose Miss Granger, and not you? Is that the question that's bothering you?"

Severus stopped pacing as suddenly as he had left the staff table after Hermione's appearance, but didn't turn to look at the headmaster. Instead he glared at one of the many portraits hung on the walls, much to its resident's displeasure.

"Where are your manners, sir! Glaring at people so, when they have done nothing whatsoever!"

Severus grimaced, turned and sat down in the chair facing the Headmaster's desk. Of course he was angry he hadn't gotten the job for yet another year, but that wasn't all. He simply did not look forward to seeing Miss Granger again. Even if she was one of the few people he knew he could have intelligent and stimulating conversations with, she still remained an insufferable know-it-all.

"You already know the answer to that question, my dear Severus." Dumbledore went on. "I simply worry the pull to the Dark arts might be too strong, even after all those years. We all know how easy it is sometimes, to fall back into old habits, and -- "

"And _what_?" Severus cut him off. "I would run back to the Dark Lord? Wouldn't that be hard to do, considering the fact he's dead?" He snickered, straightening slightly in his chair, never letting go of Dumbledore's gaze. "Unless you're afraid _I'll_ become the next Dark Lord? So much for trusting those around you, I would say, if that's the case."

Dumbledore sighed and took off his glasses and set them down carefully on the desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose briefly, taking a deep breath. "No, it's nothing like that. But it remains that Hermione is the DADA teacher this year. There's nothing more I can do about it."

The Headmaster cut off the Potions Master before he could argue, and rose from his chair. "You'll have to accept that fact, and that's the end of it. My deepest apologies."

Severus rose, bowed his head slightly and left the office quickly, his robes billowing behind him as he walked briskly down the stairs, and towards his own office. He simply couldn't believe it. He was going to have to suffer the company of the frizzy-headed know-it-all after all. He scowled at a group of first year students as he walked past them, causing them to stumble back and out of his way. _Hermione bloody Granger!_

"Professor Snape!"

He froze in his steps, nearly jumping out of his skin at the voice calling his name. _Oh, Gods, spare me_, he thought. Slowly, he turned around. The young woman before him had definitely grown in the past five years, standing at almost the same height as him. Her hair was definitely more orderly and not as frizzy as it had been once. Overall, she seemed so much more...mature. "Miss Granger. How...Nice to see you again."

She smiled, taking a few steps closer. "It's nice seeing you again as well, professor. But please, call me Hermione. " She extended her hand, meaning to shake his in greeting.

He didn't acknowledge it and kept staring at her a moment longer before crossing his arms firmly against his chest. "And may I help you with anything, _Hermione_? Have you by some unfortunate chance lost your way in Hogwarts after so many years away?"

She blushed and frowned. "No, professor Snape. I only thought it appropriate for me to come and say hello, especially after you left so quickly at the banquet." And with that, she turned around and left, walking quickly down the hall.

Seething, Severus whipped around and made his way to the dungeons.

Silence. The only adjective needed to describe the Hogwarts dungeons. There he was sure the happy, chattering students would not come and disturb his peace and quiet, whether they be Slytherin or not. He still took a small pleasure seeing them become silent and more scared with each step they took. One would think the place was full of Dementors, but no.

It was worse.

Professor Severus Snape, Hogwarts Potions Master, a man who took no joy in nearly everything and certainly not at teaching, resided in the dungeons. And all the students knew better than to disturb him, lest they found themselves hung by their thumbs in Filch's office. Sure enough, the caretaker wasn't allowed to torture students, but one never knew if Snape might not give simply give him the permission one day.

Arriving at his private rooms, he walked in and slammed the door closed behind him. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm down, pushing an annoying strand of black hair away from his face.

_This will, without doubt, be the worst year yet, _he thought as he made his way to the comfortable chair sitting in front of the lit fireplace. The House Elves always made sure it stayed lit, even if he was absent. _But for now, better relax._ He picked up the book he had left on the chair's armrest and was about to resume reading where he had left off, when a timid knock on his door disturbed his peace and quiet.

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**Thanks for reading. More to come soon.**


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